Alarm barometer

ABSTRACT

An aneroid barometer with a U-spring has a magnet on the end of a long arm attached to the U-spring, so that the magnet will have greater movement than the U-spring. The magnet is proximate a magnetic-responsive electrical switch which is connected to an alarm having self-contained batteries. The position of the switch may be adjusted so that the alarm is sounded at a predetermined low barometric pressure.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,801,408 7/1957 Drasky......................... 340/236 2,976,522 3/196] Dowling....................... 340/236 X Primary Examiner-John W. Caldwell Assistant Examiner-Daniel Myer Allurney-Charles W. Coffee ABSTRACT: An aneroid barometer with a U-spring has a magnet on the end of a long arm attached to the U-spring, so that the magnet will have greater movement than the U- spring. The magnet is proximate a magnetic-responsive electrical switch which is connected to an alarm having scll contained batteries. The position of the switch may be adjusted so that the alarm is sounded at a predetermined low barometric pressure.

Alvin R. Juno; Jasper R. Pruitt, both of Lubbock, Tex. Appl. No. 45,714 [22] Filed June 12; 1970 [45] Patented Nov. 23; 1971 Assignee Weather Watch Instruments Lubbock, Tex.

12 Claims, 2 Drawlnh Figs. [52] U.S. 340/236, 73/386, 200/83 C, 340/2 l4 21/00, HOlh 35/34 FieldofSearch............................................ 340/240, 241, 236, 239, 420, 421, 220, 266, 2l4; 200/83 C, 83 L, 81.9 M; 73/170, 384, 386, 387

United States Patent [72] Inventors [54] ALARM BAROMETER A. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to measuring and testing instruments and more particularly to aneroid barometers with an electrical alarm connected thereto.

2. Description of the Prior Art Aneroid barometers have been known for about 100 years. For inexpensive aneroid barometers, the construction is settled with an evacuated bellows having a U-spring surrounding the bellows. A mechanical multiplying device is attached to the U-spring, resulting in an increased movement upon a chain which is wound around a spring-biased shaft. The point on the spring-biased shaft indicates the barometric pressure. See US. Pat. No. 1,612,344. Also, some alarms are extremely complicated and therefore, and have delicate mechanisms. US. Pat. No. 3,029,422.

Also known to the prior art are self-contained signal devices which have small batteries together to a loud speaker so that a large audible signal.

B. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIO magnetic responsive switch which operates the alarm.

2. Objects of this Invention An object of this invention is to provide an alarm aneroid barometer.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a barometer which sounds an audible alarm at a preset pressure which may be adjustably set and with a device on the barometer for testing to check if the alarm sounds at the preset pressure.

Further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, lightweight, simple, safe, efficient, versatile, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture, adjust and maintain.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, the different views of which are not necessarily to the same scale.

C. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a sectional view with some parts shown schemati cally, illustrating one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a detail taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

D. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is represented an aneroid barometer. These barometers are well known and include framework to which is attached bellows l2. Attached to the frame 10 is a frame leg 14 of U-spring 16. Moving leg 18 of the U-spring 16 is attached by stub 20 to the bellows 12. The top of the moving leg 18 has strut 22 which bears against rocker plate 24. The rocker plate is pivoted to the frame 10 and chain lifter 26 is attached thereto. Chain 28 extends from chain lifter 26 to the shaft 30, which is joumaled into the frame 10 for rotation and is biased by spiral spring 32. Pointer 34 upon the shaft 30 cooperates with dial 36 to indicate the barometric pressure. Thus the pointer 34 is geared to the-U-spring 16. Transparent cover 38 is attached to housing 40. The frame 10 against the frame leg 14 to zero" the barometer to correlation with other barometer readings.

Those familiar with aneroid barometers will recognize that everything which has been specifically described in the is old, well known to the art. and commercially available on the market.

The changes involved with this invention include providing means.

Magnet 54 is attached on the end of long arm 52. Although the drawing is not to scale, it will be seen that the distance from the bight of the U-spring 16 to the magnet 54 is about 6 times the distance from the bight of the U-spring to stub 20 wherein the U-spring is connected to the bellows 12; thus, the magnet 54 will the bellows l2. movement is not 34,.it is considerable magnification.

Magnetic responsive electrical switch 56 is attached to the housing 30 adjacent to the magnet 54. As the magnet moves wiring 60 to alarm box 62. As previously stated, audible alarms are well known on the market with self-contained batteries which upon connecting the wiring 60 together cause the loud speaker 64 to give a large, audible alarm.

The reeds 58 of the switch 56 are enclosed in a glass capsule and the glass capsule is connected by bands 66 to leaf spring 68. The leaf spring is inserted through loops 70 which are attached to the housing 30. Alarm adjustment screw 72 is OPERATIONS pressure drops, the

shut ofif by manual switch 76, which is connected in series with the magnetic responsive switch 56 by the wiring 60.

The desired pressure reading at which alarm 62 is to sound is set by pushing the pointer 34 with the the alarm 62 may be tested at any time for operation by rotating the pointer 34 with do to assure himself that the batteries of the alarm 62 are functioning properly, the

switch 56 IS in proper position is to rotate the button 42 so that magnetic-responsive L steps described. Various modifications can be made in the construction, material, arrangement and operation, and still be within the scope of my invention. The limits of the invention and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and defined in the following claims. The restrictive description and drawing of the specific example above do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be. but are to enable the reader to make and use the invention.

1 claim as my invention: 1. In an aneroid barometer having a. a frame, b. a bellows attached to the frame, c. a U-spring, d. one leg of the U-spring attached to the frame and the other connected to the bellows; e. the improvement comprising in combination with the above: f. a long arm attached to the U-spring, g. a magnet attached on the long arm, h. a magnetic-responsive switch structurally attached to said frame near the magnet, j. so that when the magnet moves near the switch, the switch closes. 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitations of k. a pointer journaled to said frame and geared to said U- spring, and in. means connected to said frame for moving said pointer and thus the U-spring. 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitation of k. said switch mounted for adjustable movement toward and away from said magnet. 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 with the additional limitations of m. a pointer journaled to said frame and geared to said U- spring, and n. means connected to said frame for moving said pointer and thus the U-spring.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitation of k. an alarm electrically connected to said switch which produces an audible signal responsive to the closing of limitations of m. a pointer journaled to said frame and geared to said U- spring, and n. means connected to said frame for moving said pointer and thus the U-spring. 8. The invention as defined in claim 7 with the additional limitation of 0. said switch mounted for adjustable movement toward and away from said magnet. 9. The invention as defined in claim 5 with the additional limitations of m. said alarm being a self-contained unit including batteries,

and n. a manual switch electrically connected in series with the alarm and the magnetic-responsive switch. 10. The invention as defined in claim 9 with the additional limitation of 0. said switch mounted for adjustable movement toward and away from said magnet. 11. The invention as defined in claim 9 with the additional limitations of 0. a pointer journaled to said frame and geared to said U- spring, and p. means connected to said frame for moving said pointer and thus the U-spring. 12. The invention as defined in claim ll with the additional limitation of q. said switch mounted for adjustable movement toward and away from said magnet. 

1. In an aneroid barometer having a. a frame, b. a bellows attached to the frame, c. a U-spring, d. one leg of the U-spring attached to the frame and the other connected to the bellows; e. the improvement comprising in combination with the above: f. a long arm attached to the U-spring, g. a magnet attached on the long arm, h. a magnetic-responsive switch structurally attached to said frame near the magnet, j. so that when the magnet moves near the switch, the switch closes.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitations of k. a pointer journaled to said frame and geared to said U-spring, and m. means connected to said frame for moving said pointer and thus the U-spring.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitation of k. said switch mounted for adjustable movement toward and away from said magnet.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 with the additional limitations of m. a pointer journaled to said frame and geared to said U-spring, and n. means connected to said frame for moving said pointer and thus the U-spring.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitation of k. an alarm electrically connected to said switch which produces an audible signal responsive to the closing of said switch.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 5 with the additional limitation of m. said switch mounted for adjustable movement toward and away from said magnet.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 5 with the additional limitations of m. a pointer journaled to said frame and geared to said U-spring, and n. means connected to said frame for moving said pointer and thus the U-spring.
 8. The invention as defined in claim 7 with the additional limitation of o. said switch mounted for adjustable movement toward and away from said magnet.
 9. The invention as defined in claim 5 with the additional limitations of m. said alarm being a self-contained unit including batteries, and n. a manual switch electrically connected in series with the alarm and the magnetic-responsive switch.
 10. The invention as defined in claim 9 with the additional limitation of o. said switch mounted for adjustable movement toward and away from said magnet.
 11. The invention as defined in claim 9 with the additional limitations of o. a pointer journaled to said frame and geared to said U-spring, and p. means connected to said frame for moving said pointer and thus the U-spriNg.
 12. The invention as defined in claim 11 with the additional limitation of q. said switch mounted for adjustable movement toward and away from said magnet. 